Hello Families!

It is just two weeks until winter break–I can’t believe it! Here are a few updates on what has been happening . . .

Last week a math test went home on area–a very challenging test. We will squeeze one more in before break on making graphs and solving problems using graphs. It is a fun topic!

Please look for some of your child’s writing from this fall to go home this week. A narrative and opinion piece will be going home. Currently, we are working on our “All About” piece with chapters and text features. This piece will carry over after break as well.

We began our reading unit on informational text. In previous years, this has been introduced as an “All About” type of reading. In 3rd grade, we refer to it as “expository reading”. Students are learning and practicing strategies to become stronger readers of this text. We will also explore narrative nonfiction, such as the Titanic, and biographies.

As mentioned previously, we are collecting for Crusade for Toys until the 13th to support the Tri-Cities area. This was organized by the Jeffers Student Council. Also, on the 13th, it is an all school pajama day.

If you are interested in helping, or attending, our holiday party it will be from 11 AM-12 PM on Friday the 20th. 🙂

A sign up can be found here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0549A8AA2FA57-holiday2

Here is a link to the 3rd Grade Stationary card information:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y5pQ7AChuCjEwnVFzUFnEQiwigJt8FE8y8QCRHb5ww4/edit

Hello Families!

The 3rd graders were wonderful at our Thursday concert! Here is a quick review of our past week! We have had a lot of learning and FUN!

In math, we are wrapping up our topic on finding area of rectangles and irregular/complex figures. We are trying to get a test in before our Thanksgiving break! Ask your child: How do your find the area of rectangles? Squares? What is the magic word needed in every area answer?

In reading, we wrapped up our study of mysteries. We had fun celebrating the end of the unit with solving mysteries in groups of 4. (Check out the photos on Seesaw.) When we return from break, we begin nonfiction reading strategies.

For writing, we started an “All About” writing unit. We are writing on a topic that we each are an expert on. Ask your child about his/her topic, Last week we worked on an organized and creative table of contents, what goes into an introduction, and began drafting our first chapter. We are also finishing the recording of our opinion writings on Seesaw. They were so creative with choosing an interest and traits for their “monster” and supporting their work with examples and interviews.

We are continuing to work on our Earth and Me science unit.

Tuesday we have plans to meet with our kindergarten buddies from Mrs. DeLong’s class. We will be reading with them and helping them with a holiday math activity.

Please look for a Thanksgiving Break reading challenge to go home Tuesday from Mrs. Myaard in the library.

Two half days this week, then turkey and pie!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hello Families,

Here is an update of our week and week to come. In reading, we continue to work on strategies for becoming strong readers of mystery. Questions you could ask your child:

What is a red herring? Why do mysteries usually have many characters? How are you doing on Read Around Michigan?

In math, we are finishing Topic 5. We will have a test next week and begin our next topic on finding area. Continuing to work on memorization of math facts is ongoing. Please help your child when you can–take out the math tents, use flashcards, ask multiplication questions on a car ride, etc. Math questions you could ask your child:

What is a quotient, a dividend, and a divisor? Can you tell me a multiplication story?

In writing we are finishing our “published” copies of our opinion piece in this first, of two, opinion units. Ask your child what their monster’s name is for their writing. What are their 3 reasons that their monster is great?

We are also working on our science unit. Questions to ask:

What covers the entire earth? (rocks), How are rocks made?, How can you tell the difference between a rock and a mineral?

Coming up next week:

Tuesday: Field trip to Holmes for the interactive miner presentation (cost is $4 if you chose to not pay the $15 for all field trips)

Thursday: We walk to the high school in the morning for “The Huddle” to hear the SL band perform.

Friday: Pasty Day! Cost is $2.50. This can be added to your child’s lunch card. I suggest sending a cold lunch that day if you suspect your child may not enjoy the pasty. I’m hopeful all will make a pasty and give it a try!

Thank you!

Thank you for meeting with me at conferences last week!

A bit about our current learning: this week in math we began a new topic on division strategies. We are relating division with multiplication, and noticing patterns such as even x odd = even numbered products. (The last topic’s math test went home earlier this week as well.) We have started memorizing facts. Students have taken a Mad Minute (1-1/2 minute test on 25 problems) for the 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10s facts. Next week we will tackle the 9s. If a child doesn’t pass a Mad Minute (1 or less correct), they have opportunities to practice and retake.

In reading we kicked off the Mystery Unit! It was so exciting to solve a real mystery. In library, Mrs. Myaard had a crime scene set up. Ask your child about it. (See photos below) In class, students are paired with a partner, and are reading the same mystery book.  They are reading and using the strategies mystery readers use to solve the mystery before the character. Our buzz words so far are crime solver/detective, suspect, suspicious, and red herring,

Also, we have found some Bad Guys books! Thank you!

Our writing is focusing on a mini unit on opinion writing. This week we rolled out the red carpet (literally) 🙂 and shared our first opinion draft—“The award for best pet goes to . . .”. Generating a hook, stating our opinion, devising 3 reasons with examples or mini-stories, and restating our opinion are the focus. Today, we began writing drafts of reviews–favorite restaurant, book, etc. We are trying to convince our readers why they should go there, read the book, etc.

Next week we begin our first science unit–Earth and Me.

Dates:

Tuesday: Picture Retake Day

Oct. 25: Wear a Be Nice t-shirt if you have one, if not–black or pink will be fine too!

Oct. 29: Art to Remember due

Oct. 31: Jeffers Jive

Nov. 21: 3rd/4th grade concert in the evening (high school)

Thank you!

Wow! September is ending, and we are a week away from conference week!

Here is a whirlwind snapshot of what we have been working on!

We are cruising right along in math, starting our 3rd topic of the year. Our focus is mainly on using multiple strategies to show how multiplication works, and to solve problems. Students have learned the names of properties to use as well: the commutative property of multiplication, the identity (one) property, the zero property, and the distributive property. We had fun acting as math surgeons for the distributive property last week! Soon students will be introduced to the associative property of multiplication. As we are learning the properties, students are practicing memorizing facts as well. We use the Timed Test app in class to work on X0, X1, X2, X5, X10, and X9. The multiplication tents for home are also a great practice that can involve another family member.

In writing, we are finishing our first mini-unit on narrative, or personal stories. We will hit this genre again later in the year. Our focus has been on creating a beginning, middle, and end while using transitions, dialogue, feeling, and thoughts. Last week we worked on writing a strong ending with a lesson learned, feeling, thought, or update. We are completing our “neat copies” this week and will begin our mini-unit on opinion writing.

Our reading workshop time is focused on strategies readers use in fiction. Our class read is “Stone Fox”. We are working on reading books like gold, retells, comprehension checks, predictions using evidence from the story, and having “GRIT”. Ask your child what having grit means! We are also working on setting reading goals on a weekly basis. Some students set goals based on Read Around Michigan, some are on number of books to read a week, and some are based on minutes read or AR points achieved. Writing about our reading is also a new piece that we are working on in class.

In social studies we are continuing to study the geography of Michigan and the surrounding areas. We should be wrapping up this unit and having a quiz this week. Next, we will focus on our science unit on Earth and Me.

Students earned their whole-class reward for great behavior. They voted on a movie. Last week we watched two, brief episodes of Carmen Sandiago on Netflix. She is a talented thief that uses this talent to help others.

Reminder, if you child wishes to be considered as a Student Council rep, forms are due tomorrow.

Coming Up:

September 30: Fundraiser forms due. Student Council interest forms are due.

October 9th: evening conferences

October 10th: evening conferences and 1/2 day for students. Half -day dismissal is at 11:50.

October 11th: 1/2 day for all

October 12th: Shindig

Hello Families!

We have made it through our first, full week of school! Our district assessments are underway, and we should be finished early this week.

Last week students took their first math test on Topic 1. It involved strategies to solve multiplication and basic division problems. Look for that test to go home soon. We also took our first Word Study test. Each week there are 5 “Must Know” words in your child’s planner for him/her to study. These are words we just need to know how to read and spell. In class, we also work on sorting words according to a specific pattern. At the end of the week, I assess students’ ability to identify the pattern and to sort the words correctly, and to spell the “must know” words correctly. Our first week’s assessment will go home today.

Thank you to all of you who have connected to Seesaw! As the year goes on, it will be an important way for us to share activities in our class, STEM, Art, Music, and Gym. If you are having difficulty connecting to Seesaw, please contact me and I am happy to help.

Thank you!

Looking Ahead:

What have we been up to you ask? We are working so hard! This week we took a math test on fractions. The tests should have gone home with your child on Thursday. I am really proud of how well everyone did! Now, we are working to learn the attributes of quadrilaterals. We are also working with telling time and determining elapsed time. Having an analog clock at home is very helpful for these skills. Students are continuing to work on multiplication mastery. Several are working on division now.

In reading, students are researching the animal that they will create their habitat project with in STEM. Our zoo trip will be June 7th. These projects will be shared with the public at the zoo. I will be looking for chaperones as the time gets closer, but all are welcome to attend.

We also have a field trip on May 22nd to Connor Bayou to learn about fur trading. I will be looking for 2 chaperones as the time gets closer. Be on the lookout for a note home in the coming weeks!

Thank you for those of you who were able to join us for our Live Streaming of our speeches. It was a great experience for all. This week we read articles about the game, Fortnite, and wrote an opinion speech justifying if it is appropriate or not for children under 13 to play. I look forward to reading their opinions and examples! Next week, we will begin organizing our research on our animals to write an informational book.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Hello Families!

I hope the past week provided some quality family time for you. We took my senior and some of his friends to New Orleans. Great food, museums, aquarium, and zoo!

This coming week we have two special activities. On Thursday, (April 11th) we have Sheepshank Sam returning to Jeffers. Each year Sheepshank Sam brings his wealth of knowledge about lumbering in the early days of Michigan. This is an all-day presentation that supports our social studies curriculum. It is very hands on, and we could use 1-2 volunteers for the afternoon, outdoor portion. The entire 3rd grade takes turns rotating through centers learning about how lumbering was accomplished. Parent help would be needed from 12:10-2:15. If you are interested, please let me know. We will be out there rain or shine–hopefully shine!!

Friday, Mrs. Kipling and Mrs. Andrews have a presenter coming from John Ball Zoo. The students will be learning about the needs animals have and how that determines the ways in which habitats are created at the zoo. This will be the kickoff for our reading and writing unit that incorporates STEM and Art as well. The culminating project will be presented at John Ball Zoo in June. (All are welcome to attend, and I will also be looking for group chaperones.) I will get that exact day ASAP.

Also, we have a trip to Connor Bayou on May 22nd. I will be in need of a few chaperones, so please be on the watch for an email soon.

Below are some photos of our Read-a-thon using flashlights. Have a great week!

We had such a fun celebration at our Because of Winn-Dixie party! Thank you for the dog pictures. The excitement was priceless!! We finished the day with Hudsonville ice cream to celebrate our whole class making the Read Around Michigan goal!

Here are a few photos:

Today the test on our first fraction unit went home. We started the second unit  on fractions today. Today’s homework involves finding equivalent fractions using fraction strips.

Good News! Many students are finishing the memorization of multiplication facts and are moving to division Mad Minutes!

A couple of reminders: If you did not fill out the form for the Kids Read Now books for summer, they are due tomorrow. Also, we are collecting books for the Book Swap that takes place on Wednesday. If your child wishes to participate, they may receive up to 5 books if they bring 5 or more in to trade.

This Thursday we have two exciting activities: One, is our Read a thon: students are welcome to bring in a flashlight as we read longer than usual, and in an unusual way! 🙂 Two, we have a robotics presentation from Herman Miller. It is sure to be a fun day before Spring Break (begins Friday).

We recently finished our character book study of, “Because of Winn-Dixie”. We are now studying a second story, “Dyamonde Daniel” and comparing and contrasting the two main characters. Students are in book clubs too, working on character work with their group. This Friday, we will compare and contrast the movie and book, “Because of Winn-Dixie”.

In writing, we are working to write our next opinion speech. Previously, we worked to write two reasons with examples to support our opinions. This time, we are pushing ourselves to write about a new position, and to include three reasons with examples, as well as indenting and paragraphing.

Last week the math test was sent home that had 2-step word problems. It is always a challenging unit, but I was so happy with how everyone did! Great work! You may have noticed that we are now working on fractions! Our next unit will dive deeper into fraction work as well, but keeping up on memorizing multiplication facts can help students see the relationships among fractions. We are continuing to take Mad Minutes 3-4 days per week. Please ask your child which multiplication fact he/she is on. 

Please look for an email coming your way on our special Winn-Dixie celebration!